BELLE Gibson looks set to pay for her false cancer claims, with Consumer Affairs Victoria taking legal action against the disgraced wellness blogger and her company in the Federal Court.

A statement by Consumer Affairs Victoria said “the alleged contraventions relate to false claims by Ms Gibson and her company concerning her diagnosis with terminal brain cancer, her rejection of conventional cancer treatments in favour of natural remedies, and the donation of proceeds to various charities.”

No charges have been laid against Ms Gibson but the department launched an investigation last year amid claims she failed to donate $300,000 from the sales of her wellness app, The Whole Pantry, to charity.

Consumer Affairs Victoria director Simon Cohen said the publishers of The Whole Pantry cookbook, Penguin Australia Pty Ltd, “had willingly co-operated with a concurrent investigation that examined whether the company had also violated” the Australian Consumer Law.

Mr Cohen said Penguin had admitted that it had not “required Ms Gibson to substantiate her claims prior to the book’s publication” and “will make a $30,000 donation to the Victorian Consumer Law Fund”.

Wellness blogger Belle GibsonSource:No Source

Penguin must also enhance its compliance, education and training program with a specific focus on ensuring all claims about medical conditions are substantiated, and that statements about natural therapies are accompanied by a prominent warning notice.

“This is an important step in ensuring that consumers receive only verified information and are not deceived, particularly where serious matters of health and medical treatment are concerned,” Mr Cohen said.

In March, Ms Gibson told the Herald Sun she didn’t expect to face any charges: “No, I don’t think I will,” she said.

But now, according to The Age, Ms Gibson could face more than $1 million in penalties.

Last year, during an interview with The Australian Women’s Weekly, Ms Gibson was asked outright if she has, or has ever had cancer.

“No. None of it’s true,” she confessed.

“I am still jumping between what I think I know and what is reality. I have lived it and I’m not really there yet,” she said.